Elaine Cunningham - Honor Among Thieves

“How many ‘other hands’ are you up to?” Vishniinquired.

Fox glanced down at her amused face. “Five orsix.”

“There are a lot of possibilities,” she said, “butI’ll tell you what this isn’t about.”

“That’s a place to start.”

“Rhendish is not running a long con,” Vishni saiddecisively. “If he wanted to find and destroy the northland forestelves, he doesn’t need us to do it.”

Fox blinked. He hadn’t even thought in terms of along con. How could he have missed that?

“Explain.”

She blew out a breath in a short, derisive sputter.“What,

if anything, in your ongoing conflict with Rhendishhas ever suggested that he’s capable of running a long con?”

“You have a point. So what’s his game?”

The fairy tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Rhendishwanted to get the dagger away from Muldonny. Maybe because Muldonnyhad ideas Rhendish didn’t like, maybe because Rhendish was tryingto avoid trouble with the elves. Or maybe he just didn’t like theidea of a rival adapt holding onto so much power.”

“Maybe he wanted it for himself. Why else would Honortake one of Delgar’s glass daggers with her when she returned toRhendish?”

“In that case, the story’s over,” Vishni said. “Butfor the moment, let’s assume the elf is Rhendish’s creature and hernote to you was Rhendish’s idea. He arranged for us to take thedagger off on a gallant quest. And in the process, he rids the cityof the most daring and clever band of thieves Sevrin has everknown.” She grinned and brandished her book. “Or so the storygoes.”

“I suppose it could be that simple,” he murmured.

“Of course it could. You’re giving the adept far toomuch credit. Sometimes overestimating your enemies is as dangerousas underestimating them.”

Fox thought this over. It sounded reasonable, in atwisted sort of way. “Did you know,” he said hesitantly, “thatHonor is-”

“A reasonably pretty machine? Don’t look sosurprised. I knew it almost from the beginning.”

He recalled the way she had jolted when she touchedthe elf’s arm. Having seen the cold iron gears under that paleskin, he understood why.

“You couldn’t have told me?”

Vishni shrugged. “That a living elf was also aclockwork monster? You might have believed me, but I doubt it.”

In truth, Fox wasn’t sure what he believed.

“What if we’re wrong about Honor?” he said softly.“What if she’s staying with Rhendish because she has nochoice?”

The fairy took a deep breath, let it out on a quickhuff. “What if we are? If we snatched her from Rhendish, he wouldpursue. Our chances of getting the Thorn back to the forest elveswould be slim. And assuming there’s still a real elf somewhereamong those gears, this is what she would want us to do.”

Fox remembered the silent entreaty in Honor’swinter-cloud eyes and found that he could not disagree.

The fairy rose and glowered down at Fox. “Are yougoing to pack, or do you plan to let Delgar carry your supplies?Because it’s only fair to warn you that I plan to make him carrymine.”

A grin edged onto his face. “I wouldn’t have expectedanything less.”

Fox took the hand she offered and let her pull him tohis feet. The distant cacophony of voices sounded less discordantnow, and he felt the first stirrings of excitement. They wereleaving Sevrin on an adventure, a good and worthy quest.

And when he returned, he would rescue Honor fromRhendish Manor.

This thought surprised him. The next insight wasequally startling: It didn’t much matter to him whether she was elfor machine. He would save her, whatever that meant. Whatever thattook.

The decision felt right. He strode back toward theFox Den with a light step and a lighter heart.

Vishni watched him go, and gave him a merry wave andsmile when he looked back.

When at last he disappeared into the maze of tunnels,the fairy settled down, opened her book, and began to write.